Vehicle accessory mounting system

Abstract

A vehicle accessory mounting system may include an accessory base, a first carriage movably coupled to the base, a retainer configured to releasably retain the first carriage at one of a plurality of available positions along the accessory base, a first hook, a second hook and a spring. Carried by the carriage and configured to engage a first portion of a rack and a second hook configured to engage a second portion of the rack. The first hook is movable relative to the carriage between an extended position for engagement of the first hook with a first portion of a rack and a retracted position for release of the first hook from the first portion of the rack, a spring captured between the first hook and the first carriage to resiliently bias the first hook in the extended position, and a second hook coupled to the base and facing the first hook, wherein the second hook is configured to engage a second portion of the bike rack.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle accessory mounting system comprising:
 an accessory base;   a carriage movably coupled to the accessory base for movement along an axis relative to the accessory base;   a retainer configured to releasably retain the carriage at one of a plurality of available positions along the accessory base;   a first hook carried by the carriage, the first hook being linearly movable along the axis relative to the carriage between an extended position for engagement of the first hook with a first portion of a rack and a retracted position for release of the first hook from the first portion of the rack;   a spring captured between the first hook and the first carriage to resiliently bias the first hook along the axis towards the extended position; and   a second hook coupled to the base and facing the first hook, the second hook being configured to engage a second portion of the rack.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle coupled to the first hook and configured to move the first hook from the extended position towards the retracted position against a bias of the spring. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 2 , wherein the carriage comprises a passage, wherein the handle slidably extends through the passage. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein the accessory base is configured to be releasably mounted to an accessory. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 1  further comprising an accessory including the accessory base. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of indicia at predefined spacings along a face of the accessory base, the predefined spacings corresponding to different rack widths. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a second carriage movably coupled to the base; 
 a second retainer configured to releasably retain the second carriage at one of a plurality of available positions along the accessory base, 
 wherein the second hook is carried by the second carriage, wherein the second hook is movable relative to the second carriage between a second hook extended position for engagement of the second hook with the second portion of a bike rack and a second hook retracted position for release of the second hook from the second portion of the rack; and 
 a second spring captured between the second hook and the second carriage to resiliently bias the second hook towards the second hook extended position. 
 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a first handle coupled to the first hook and configured to move the first hook from the extended position towards the retracted position against a bias of the spring; and   
       a second handle coupled to the second hook and configured to move the second hook from the second hook extended position towards the second hook retracted position against a bias of the second spring. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 8 , wherein the carriage comprises a passage, wherein the handle slidably extends through the passage, wherein the second carriage comprises a second passage, wherein the second handle slidably extends through the second passage. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 7 , wherein the carriage moves along a first face of the accessory base, and wherein the retainer comprises:
 a retainer clamp on a second face of the accessory base; and   a first retainer knob carried by the carriage and extending through the accessory base into connection with the retainer clamp, the first retainer knob being manually manipulatable to move the retainer clamp between a carriage locking state in which the retainer clamp engages the accessory base to inhibit movement of the carriage relative the accessory base and a carriage releasing state in which the retainer clamp is sufficiently disengaged from the accessory base to facilitate movement of the carriage relative to the base,   
       wherein the second carriage moves along the first face of the accessory base and wherein the second retainer comprises:
 a second retainer clamp on a second face of the accessory base; 
 a second retainer knob carried by the second carriage and extending through the accessory base into connection with the second retainer clamp, the second retainer knob being manually manipulatable to move the second retainer clamp between a second retainer clamp carriage locking state in which the second retainer clamp engages the accessory base to inhibit movement of the second carriage relative the accessory base and a second retainer clamp carriage releasing state in which the second retainer clamp is sufficiently disengaged from the accessory base to facilitate movement of the second carriage relative to the accessory base. 
 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 10 , wherein the second face of the accessory base comprises one of a first detent and a first projection, wherein the retainer clamp comprises the other of the first detent and the first projection, wherein the first projection is received within the first detent when the retainer clamp is in the carriage locking state and is withdrawn from the first detent when the retainer clamp is in the carriage releasing state,
 wherein the second face of the accessory base comprises one of a second detent and a second projection, wherein the second retainer clamp comprises the other of the second detent and the second projection, wherein the second projection is received within the second detent when the second retainer clamp is in the second retainer clamp carriage locking state and is withdrawn from the second detent when the second retainer clamp is in the second retainer clamp carriage releasing state.   
     
     
         12 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 11 , wherein the retainer knob comprises a screw shaft extending through the accessory base and in threaded engagement with the retainer clamp such that rotation of the first retainer knob translates the retainer clamp between the carriage locking state and the carriage releasing state, and
 wherein the second retainer knob comprises a second screw shaft extending through the accessory base and in threaded engagement with the second retainer clamp such that rotation of the second retainer knob translates the second retainer clamp between the carriage locking state and the carriage releasing state of the second retainer knob.   
     
     
         13 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 7  further comprising:
 a first plurality of indicia at predefined spacings along the first face of the accessory base, the predefined spacings corresponding to different bike rack widths; and 
 a second plurality of indicia at predefined spacings along the first face of the accessory base, the predefined spacings corresponding to different rack widths. 
 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 1  further comprising an accessory configured to be releasably mounted to the accessory base, wherein the accessory comprises a basket. 
     
     
         15 . A vehicle accessory mounting system comprising:
 an accessory base;   a carriage movably coupled to the accessory base;   a retainer configured to releasably retain the carriage at one of a plurality of available positions along the accessory base;   a first hook carried by the carriage, the first hook being movable relative to the carriage between an extended position for engagement of the first hook with a first portion of a rack and a retracted position for release of the first hook from the first portion of the rack;   a spring captured between the first hook and the first carriage to resiliently bias the first hook towards the extended position; and   a second hook coupled to the base and facing the first hook, the second hook being configured to engage a second portion of the rack, wherein the carriage moves along a first face of the accessory base and wherein the retainer comprises:   
       a retainer clamp on a second face of the accessory base; and 
       a retainer knob carried by the carriage and extending through the accessory base into connection with the retainer clamp, the retainer knob being manually manipulatable to move the retainer clamp between a carriage locking state in which the retainer clamp engages the accessory base to inhibit movement of the carriage relative the accessory base and a carriage releasing state in which the retainer clamp is sufficiently disengaged from the accessory base to facilitate movement of the carriage relative to the base. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 15 , wherein the second face of the accessory base comprises one of a detent and a projection, wherein the retainer clamp comprises the other of the detent and the projection, wherein the projection is received within the detent when the retainer clamp is in the carriage locking state and is withdrawn from the detent when the retainer clamp is in the carriage releasing state. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 16 , wherein the retainer knob comprises a screw shaft extending through the accessory base and in threaded engagement with the retainer clamp such that rotation of the retainer knob translates the retainer clamp between the carriage locking state and the carriage releasing state. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 15 , wherein the retainer knob comprises a screw shaft extending through the accessory base and in threaded engagement with the retainer clamp such that rotation of the retainer knob translates the retainer clamp between the carriage locking state and the carriage releasing state. 
     
     
         19 . A vehicle accessory mounting system comprising:
 an accessory base;   a carriage movably coupled to the accessory base;   a retainer configured to releasably retain the carriage at one of a plurality of available positions along the accessory base;   a first hook carried by the carriage, the first hook being movable relative to the carriage between an extended position for engagement of the first hook with a first portion of a rack and a retracted position for release of the first hook from the first portion of the rack;   a spring captured between the first hook and the first carriage to resiliently bias the first hook towards the extended position; and   a second hook coupled to the base and facing the first hook, the second hook being configured to engage a second portion of the rack, wherein the retainer comprises:   
       a series of spaced detents in the accessory base; 
       a projection movably supported by the carriage between a detent engaging position and a withdrawn position, wherein the projection is resiliently biased towards the detent engaging position. 
     
     
         20 . The vehicle accessory mounting system of  claim 19 , wherein the accessory base extends in a plane and wherein the projection slides along an axis perpendicular to the plane.